The recently diagnosed weekend retreats start at lunchtime on Friday, with the first session starting immediately after lunch on Friday, and finish on Sunday afternoon at 3.30pm.

The weekend has an intensive programme and includes a number of themed sessions. These cover a range of topics including:

Introductions

Life journeys and HIV journeys

Hopes and fears

Telling people

Sex and relationships

Medication

Balanced lifestyles

Networks of support

Conclusions and learning points

Each session does not provide a guide to living successfully with HIV. Instead, we raise a number of questions to discuss and allow everyone to reach their own conclusions. We do this because there is no right way to live with HIV, only the way which is right for each of us.

In addition to this, there is the opportunity for those attending to discuss other issues in open discussion groups. We also have at least one counsellor present, which means that there is the opportunity for one-to-one counselling sessions.

Those attending find that the opportunity to discuss issues in a safe environment is the best support of all, and discussions take place over coffee, meals, and in the evenings in the bar and lounge.